Mental Health Counselors Pay Range in Missouri
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$37,650
- 25th Percentile — Junior$44,140
- 50th Percentile — Median$56,910
- 75th Percentile — Senior$72,280
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$89,400
Half of Mental Health Counselors in Missouri earn more than $56,910. The top 10% make $89,400 or more, while entry-level workers start around $37,650.
Mental Health Counselors in Missouri: Key Facts
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025
- Missouri ranks 34th of 51 states for Mental Health Counselors pay, at $60,670 per year (5.9% below the U.S. average of $64,440).
- 8,130 people work as Mental Health Counselors in Missouri — 1.7% of all U.S. Mental Health Counselors jobs.
- Location quotient 0.87: Mental Health Counselors jobs are less concentrated in Missouri than in the U.S. overall.
- Pay range: the lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,650; the top 10% earn over $89,400.
- Hourly equivalent: $29.17 per hour (2,080 hours/year).
- The highest-paying state is Alaska at $86,500.
- Among social services jobs in Missouri, Marriage and Family Therapists pays the most ($66,250).
Mental Health Counselors Job Market in Missouri
Key factors affecting compensation
Missouri's key industries are Healthcare, Finance, Agriculture, and its job market is rated moderate. Mental Health Counselors here earn $60,670 on average, placing the state 34th nationally.
With a cost-of-living index of 0.87 (U.S. = 1.00), a Missouri salary of $60,670 is roughly equivalent to $69,736 at the national average cost of living.
Compared with nearby states in the pay ranking, Oklahoma ($61,990), Kansas ($61,820), Georgia ($61,310) are the closest alternatives for Mental Health Counselors weighing a move.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Other Social Services Jobs in Missouri
Related career salary benchmarks
- Marriage and Family Therapists $66,250/yr Missouri +9.2% vs this role
- Health Education Specialists $64,700/yr Missouri +6.6% vs this role
- Healthcare Social Workers $60,560/yr Missouri 0.2% vs this role
- Educational Guidance and Career Counselors $59,160/yr Missouri 2.5% vs this role
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $53,470/yr Missouri 11.9% vs this role
- Child Family and School Social Workers $51,360/yr Missouri 15.3% vs this role
- Community Health Workers $50,640/yr Missouri 16.5% vs this role
- Rehabilitation Counselors $49,190/yr Missouri 18.9% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average Mental Health Counselors salary in Missouri?
The average Mental Health Counselors salary in Missouri is $60,670 per year (median $56,910), which is 5.9% below the national average of $64,440.
How does Missouri rank for Mental Health Counselors pay?
Missouri ranks 34th out of 51 states. The highest-paying state is Alaska ($86,500/yr).
How much do entry-level Mental Health Counselors make in Missouri?
The lowest-paid 10% of Mental Health Counselors in Missouri earn about $37,650 per year and the 25th percentile is $44,140.
How much do Mental Health Counselors make per hour in Missouri?
About $29.17 per hour, based on the $60,670 annual average and 2,080 working hours per year.
How many Mental Health Counselors work in Missouri?
BLS counts 8,130 Mental Health Counselors jobs in Missouri (OEWS May 2025).
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data